Describe how water and solutes are transported in plants

The structure of plant roots, stems, and leaves facilitates the transport of water, nutrients, and photosynthates throughout the plant. The phloem and xylem are the main tissues responsible for this movement. Water potential, evapotranspiration, and stomatal regulation influence how water and nutrients are transported in plants. To understand how these processes work, we must first understand the energetics of water potential.

What You’ll Learn to Do

• Describe how water potential influences how water is transported in plants
• Describe the process of transpiration
• Explain how photosynthates are transported in plants

Learning Activities

The learning activities for this section include the following:

• Water Potential
• Transpiration
• Photosynthates
• Self Check: Transport of Water and Solutes in Plants